Centrifugal governor



.Sept 11, 1962 E. s. HUGHES 3,053,097

CENTRIFUGAL GOVERNOR Filed May 3l, 1960 r l I i! IN VEN TOR.

Q BY

United States Patent O 1 3,053,097 CENTRIFUGAL GOVERNOR Edgar S. Hughes,Detroit, Mich., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich.,a corporation of Delaware Filed May 31, 1960, Ser. No. 32,625 s claims.(ci. 7s-551) The invention relates to a centrifugal governor and moreparticularly to a governor which has captive governor weights containedwithin a chamber which may be expanded and contracted in relation to thespeed of the governor drive. Devices embodying the invention may includea governor speed sensing pick-up mechanism to provide a suitable controlfor any device to be operated in accordance with the speed of thegovernor drive.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a cross section view of the mechanism embodying theinvention.

FIGURE 2 is a section View of the mechanism of FIGURE l taken in thedirection of arrows 2-2 of that iigure.

FIGURE 3 is a cross section view similar to FIGURE 1 and showing thegovernor elements in a position obtained during rotation of the governordrive.

The governor mechanism includes a housing with a suitable drive member12 extending therethrough. Drive member 12 is illustrated in the drawingas being a shaft to which any suitable drive means such as a vehiclespeedometer drive cable may be attached. When the mechanism embodyingthe invention is used in conjunction with a speedometer drive cable, thespeedometer drive will pass through the mechanism without interferingwith the operation of the speedometer. A conical finger mechanism 14 iscontained within the governor chamber 18 of housing 10. A second conicallinger mechanism 20 is also received Within chamber 18 and receivesdrive member 12 therethrough so that the mechanism 20 may move axiallyin relation to drive member 12. Opening 22 is provided for this` purposein mechanism 20 at the apex thereof and is slightly larger in diameterthan the diameter of drive member 12. Similarly, mechanism 14 is securedto the drive member 12 at its apex.

Mechanism 14 is formed to include a plurality of fingers 24 by providingcut-out sections 26 in the conical surface of the mechanism. Similarngers 28 are provided as a part of the mechanism 26 by cutting outsections 30 of that mechanism. The fingers 24 and 28 are assembled ininterlaced relationship so that iingers 24 extend through cut-outsections 3f) and fingers 28 extend through cut-out sections 26. Thefingers and the cut-out sections are so proportioned as to permitrelative axial movement of mechanisms 14 and 20 throughout a portion ofthe axial length of governor chamber 18.

The apex end 32 of conical mechanism 20 is secured to an annular plate34 which is also received about drive member 12. The outer periphery 36of plate 34 is slidably received within chamber end 38 of housing 10. Acompression spring 49 is mounted about drive member 12 in chamber end 38and engages wall 42 of housing 10 and plate 34 so as to urge that plate,as well as the conical mechanism 20, toward the apex of conicalmechanism 14. A spring abutment plate 44 may be provided on the side ofplate 34 forming a portion of chamber end 3S. Suitable bearings 46 and48 which also may act as seals are provided in housing 10. Thesebearings receive drive member 12.

The central portion 50 of drive member 12 may be provided with suitablesplines 52 on which a drive race 54 is slidably mounted. Drive race 54includes an internally splined sleeve 56 and a plurality ofcircumferentially Patented Sept. 11, 1962 spaced and radially extendingrods 58. Governor balls or weights 60 receive rods 58 so that the ballsmay slide radially inward and outward on the rods relative to sleeve 56and drive member 12. Balls 60 normally engage the inner walls of themechanisms` 14 and 20 so that they occupy the expandable andcontractable chamber 62 formed by those mechanisms.

A suitable pick-up 64, which is illustrated in this instance as beingelectrical, may include contacts 66, 68 and 70, which extend intochamber end 3-8, and contacts 72, 74 and 76 which may be disposedarcuately from the other contacts within chamber end 38. The contactsmay be so positioned as to be engageable with the outer periphery 36 ofplate 34 so that the plate closes an electrical circuit between contacts66 and 72, in one position. The. plate may move farther to break thatcircuit and close la second circuit through contacts 68 and 74, underinfluence of the governor, and still farther to break that circuit andclose la circuit containing contacts 70 and 76. In the position of plate34 illustrated in FIGURE 1, with the governor at rest, none of thecontacts are in engagement with the plate 34.

As the drive member 12 is rotated at various increasing speeds, balls 60move outwardly on rods 58 within chamber 62. Since mechanism 14 cannotmove relative to drive member 12 the centrifugal forces of the balls acton mechanism 20 to move that mechanism to the left -as illustrated inFIGURES 1 and 3. This results in an outward and leftward movement ofballs 68 as well as the drive race 54. Plate 34 is also moved to theleft against the force of spring 40. The various pick up contacts areengaged as the speed continues to increase and may send the desiredsignal to any mechanism being controlled by the governor. The particularconstruction illustrated is especially applicable for controlling theshift points of a vehicle transmission although it may also -be used forother purpoess. Also, if desired, a conventional mechanical pick-up maybe utilized.

As the rotating speed of drive member 12 decreases the centrifugalforces exerted by balls 60 against conical mechanisms 14 and 20`decrease and spring 40 moves plate 34 to the right as illustrated in thedrawing, thereby moving conical mechanism 20 to the right, and causingmovement of balls 60 inwardly on rods 58. Drive race 54 will also slideto the right on splines` 52.

The interlaced arrangement of mechanisms 14 and 20 permit the speedresponsive movements of mechanism 20 under the centrifugal forces of theball 60 and the axial force of the spring 40 Without permitting theballs 60 to escape from the expansible and contractable chamber 62.

What is claimed is:

l. A centrifugal governor comprising a housing, a drive member extendingthrough and rotatable in said housing, a first conical member receivedin said housing and attached for rotation with said drive member andhaving radially spaced fingers formed on the outer end thereof, `asecond conical member received in said housing about said drive memberand movable axially relative thereto and having radially spaced fingersinterlaced with said first conical member fingers and cooperating withsaid first conical member to form `an expandable and contractablechamber, yielding means operatively engaging and acting on said secondconical member and urging that member axially toward said first conicalmember and tending to contract said expandable and contractable chamber,a plurality of governor balls received within said expandable chamber,drive means mounted for rotation with and slidable movement relative tosaid drive member and including radial pins receiving said balls forrotating said Aballs in said expandable. and contractable chamber withsaid drive member whereby said balls are urged outwardly undercentrifugal force when said drive member is rotated to act on saidsecond conical member and move said second conical member axially alongsaid drive member to expand said expandable and contractable chamber inresponse to the speed of rotation of said drive member.

2. A centrifugal governorV comprising a drive member, ya drive raceslida-bly connected thereto for rotation therewith, a plurality ofgovernor weights mounted on said drive race and radially movablethereon, a rst hollow conical member secured to said drive member andreceiving said drive race and said governor weights therein and having aplurality of outwardly extending lingers, a second conical membermounted about said drive member and extending in a direction opposite tosaid rst conical member and receiving said drive race and said governorWeights therein and having outwardly extending fingers formed thereonyand in interlaced relation with said rst conical member lingers, saidgovernor weights engaging the inner Walls of said conical members andreacting thereagainst under centrifugal force generated by rotation ofsaid drive member to move said second conical member axially along saiddrive member in response to the speed of rotation of said drive member,and means urging said second conical member toward said rst conicalmember and opposing the centrifugal force of said governor Weights.

3. In a centrifugal governor, a first conical member having lingersformed in the outer periphery thereof, a

second conical member having lingers formed in the outer peripherythereof, said rst and second conical member fingers being interlaced andpermitting relative axial movement of said conical members, a drivemember extending through the apexes of said conical members and havingone of said conical members axially and rotatably secured thereto andthe other of said conical members axially slidable thereon, said firstand second conical members providing an expandable and contractablechamber through which said drive member extends, means on said drivemember receiving a plurality of governor Weights within said chamber androtating said governor Weights when said drive member is rotated wherebycentrifugal force of said governor weights causes said weights to expandsaid chamber by moving the axially movable of said conical membersaxially along said drive member, and means acting on said axiallymovable conical member for opposing said axial movement.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 995,412Morrison lune 13, 19ll 2,053,514 Broders Sept. 8, 1936 2,306,696 HaleDec. 29, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 139,602 Great Britain Mar. ll, 1920384,795 Great Britain Dec. 15, 1932 790,172 Great Britain Feb. 5, 1958

